Race-track observatory.



M. P. SOHETZEL'.

RACE TRACK 0BSERVATORY.. Lrrmonmu rmin IAY 10. 1905.

I SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' ATE I D MAR. 13, 190i UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

MARX PErER-scnE'Tz'EL, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

RACE-TRACK OBSERVATOR-Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

' Applicationfiled May o, 1905. serinm'zssnsa To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARX PETER SCHET- ZEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Race-Track Observatories, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to a device for more conveniently and closely observing horse and other-races which take place'upon endless tracks. I

It consists of a car provided with seats and conveniences, but mounted u on wheels and means for insuring the direction of travel of the car and the disposition of the guides.

It also comprises details of construction which will be more iully explained by re fwhich may be properly roofed over and have seats arranged in tiers, as shown at 2, rising from the front to the rear side of the car.

The car-body may be made of any suitable or desired length, and the arrangement of the seats may be similar to that of an ordinary grand stand. The car-body is mounted upon suitable pivoted trucks 3, having wheels 4,

mounted upon axles 5, which are journaled' upon the truck-frame in any usual or suitable manner. Theperipheries of the truck-wheels are grooved, and preferably solid-rubber tires are fitted into the grooves. The wheels aredesigned to run u on any suitable surface, which may be ma e of macadam or concrete and sufficiently smooth for the purpose. The track may be arranged'either inside or outside of the main race-track and substantially arallel therewith and at such distance thereom as may be found most convenient..

Upon each side of the surface upon which the car is desi ned to run are stout rails or supports, an these ails are formed with or carry upon them tracks 6-.

7 represents wheels having, preferably, rub- ,ber tires u on the periphery, and these wheels are journa ed upon vertical supports or standards 8 at e'ach side of the car and neareach end, so that the wheels turn in" horizontal planes. These wheels are of such diameter as to project a little beyond the sides of the car and to run in contact with the tracksfi, the wheels turning substantially horizontal upon their axial supports.

By this constructlon and by the use of a sufiiciently smooth surface and the vertically-disposed tracks 6 a cheap roadway may be constructed for the travel of the cars and I to maintain them in proper relation with the race-course about which they are constructed.

The cars are provided with any suitable or well-known form of motor. It will, be found that an electrical motor will sufliciently fill the requirements .of such motor, or motors maybe installed upon the cars so as to propel them. I have here illustrated such a motor as located at 9 and having a pinion-shaft parallel with the axles of the bearing-wheels 4, 1 as shown at 10. A pinion mounted upon this shaft may be made to engage with corresponding surfaces turnable in unison with the wheels 4 and throu h which power is transmitted to said wheis. I havefound that a very suitable arrangement is to provide the pinions with any suitable frictional surface which may run in contact with similar sur faces carried by the axles of the wheels 4.

The simpler method would be to allow the pinions to travel in contact with the periphcries of the wheels 4, so that power is transvmitted directly from the motor to each pair of wheels of the truck. With this or equivalent device it will be understood that the car may be set in motion either at the starting of the race or just previously thereto and may be then kept parallel with the course and follow therace in close proximity until completed. Such a device will be particularly useful for the judges who are depended upon to see that no unfair advantage is taken of any of the competitors.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcm, is

1; In a race-track observation-car, a carbody having seats arranged thereon, axles for said car said axles provided with main bearing-wheels and havin also, verticallydisposed end standards, w eels journaled to and vertically-disposed tracks or rails against which the last-named wheels travel.

2. An endless race-track, and a second turn in a horizontal plane on said standards,-

IIO

track substantially concentric therewith, and I an observation-car having wheels adapted to r travel upon said second track, vertically-j our naled guide-wheels carried upon the car and inclosing rails or tracks against which said guide-wheels travel.

3. An endless racetrack and a second track concentric therewith, said second track having interior and exterior concentric rails or tracks, a car with Wheels to travel on the second track-surface, and guide-wheels carried by the car and adapted to travel between and against the guide-rails.

4. The combination with a race-track, of a nesses.

MARX PETER SOI-IETZEL. Witnesses:

S. H. NOURsE, HENRY P. TRICOU. 

